Will attend:
Professor Mustapha Masrour, Hofstra University
Professor Madeline Turan, SUNY at Stonybrook
Our "Wish List" for student teachers:
·Offerings for cooperating teachers – one day workshop with info about how teachers are trained, what courses they take, etc. ·Chairs interview student teaching candidate prior to being approved by the district à provide direct feedback to schools about candidate’s qualifications ·Student teacher should research the district beforehand/know something about the program (i.e., visit school/district website) ·Chairs would like to learn more about the methods courses that candidates are taking (i.e., is it a specific WL methods course, or a general teaching methods course?); are students involved in real-life experiences (i.e., simulations) during the methods course? Are students being videotaped during sample lessons? Are they watching videos of best practices and making comments, critique of what they see? ·What methodologies are being taught? understanding of communicative language teaching methodology? Comprehensible input? Which textbooks? (i.e., Glissan; Omaggio-Hadley; Curtain and Pesola) ·Knowledge of technology à uses in WL classroom; access to online authentic materials; use of SMARTBoard, PowerPoint, etc.; *has a back-up if technology doesn't work! ·Do students take courses in addition to student teaching? If so, students can’t get the full benefits of student teaching b/c they have papers, exams, classes, etc. à full time status ·Students should take and pass all required state exams prior to starting student teaching ·Students should be at a certain level of ACTFL proficiency scale (OPI?) prior to starting student teaching ·Encourage study abroad for teachers (OR equivalent local opportunities to practice with native speakers); Encourage Masters in TL, dual language certification (especially for LCTLs), FLES certification ·Make students aware of scholarships, fellowships (i.e., AATSP, AATF, NECTFL, Fulbright, etc.) for students to study abroad ·Challenge for chairs: how to recruit the BEST teachers to be mentors/cooperating teachers; credits are not an incentive for some of the best/more experiences à stipends, travel opportunities, etc. ·Understanding of special education students/strategies? ·Encourage (require???) candidates to be members of local, state and national organizations (i.e., LILT, NYSAFLT, ACTFL) ·Have students create a portfolio - online (i.e. a website) or otherwise o Pdf files; lessons
o Photos of candidate working with students
o videos ·Professional responsibilities (outside of classroom) o Socializing out of district (partying, bars, etc.)
o Dress, appearances, seriousness of purpose
o Facebook, MySpace, websites à professional image o Email address on resume; message on home answering machines/cell phones
o Spend time before and after school working with cooperating teacher, students, doing lesson planning, etc. How we can support student teachers: ·Districts à provide candidates with a guidebook or handbook ·Weekly meetings between student teachers and chair ·Help student teachers with resumes ·Observe and write up observation reports for student teachers; give constructive criticism ·Encourage student teachers to attend department meetings, board meetings, etc. ·Facilitate observations of other department teachers (and observation of teachers from other disciplines) ·As chairs, we introduce and include student teacher in department activities ·Perform exit interviews with student teachers to talk about their experiences during the student teaching period ·Cooperating teachers need to be honest with student teachers regarding strengths and weaknesses; chairs provide cooperating teachers with “training” about how to communicate this information to student teachers à “difficult conversations” ·Establish a “common vocabulary” re: observations (i.e., use NCFLRC document to help observe candidates); a list of questions that would help cooperating teachers assess student teachers
Elaine Margarita created this student teacher booklet for use in Jericho. Thanks, Elaine!
Meeting with Methods Professors
Notes from our meeting on May 29, 2009; 9-11amWill attend:
Professor Mustapha Masrour, Hofstra University
Professor Madeline Turan, SUNY at Stonybrook
Our "Wish List" for student teachers:
· Offerings for cooperating teachers – one day workshop with info about how teachers are trained, what courses they take, etc.· Chairs interview student teaching candidate prior to being approved by the district à provide direct feedback to schools about candidate’s qualifications
· Student teacher should research the district beforehand/know something about the program (i.e., visit school/district website)
· Chairs would like to learn more about the methods courses that candidates are taking (i.e., is it a specific WL methods course, or a general teaching methods course?); are students involved in real-life experiences (i.e., simulations) during the methods course? Are students being videotaped during sample lessons? Are they watching videos of best practices and making comments, critique of what they see?
· What methodologies are being taught? understanding of communicative language teaching methodology? Comprehensible input? Which textbooks? (i.e., Glissan; Omaggio-Hadley; Curtain and Pesola)
· Knowledge of technology à uses in WL classroom; access to online authentic materials; use of SMARTBoard, PowerPoint, etc.; *has a back-up if technology doesn't work!
· Do students take courses in addition to student teaching? If so, students can’t get the full benefits of student teaching b/c they have papers, exams, classes, etc. à full time status
· Students should take and pass all required state exams prior to starting student teaching
· Students should be at a certain level of ACTFL proficiency scale (OPI?) prior to starting student teaching
· Encourage study abroad for teachers (OR equivalent local opportunities to practice with native speakers); Encourage Masters in TL, dual language certification (especially for LCTLs), FLES certification
· Make students aware of scholarships, fellowships (i.e., AATSP, AATF, NECTFL, Fulbright, etc.) for students to study abroad
· Challenge for chairs: how to recruit the BEST teachers to be mentors/cooperating teachers; credits are not an incentive for some of the best/more experiences à stipends, travel opportunities, etc.
· Understanding of special education students/strategies?
· Encourage (require???) candidates to be members of local, state and national organizations (i.e., LILT, NYSAFLT, ACTFL)
· Have students create a portfolio - online (i.e. a website) or otherwise
o Pdf files; lessons
o Photos of candidate working with students
o videos
· Professional responsibilities (outside of classroom)
o Socializing out of district (partying, bars, etc.)
o Dress, appearances, seriousness of purpose
o Facebook, MySpace, websites à professional image
o Email address on resume; message on home answering machines/cell phones
o Spend time before and after school working with cooperating teacher, students, doing lesson planning, etc.
How we can support student teachers:
· Districts à provide candidates with a guidebook or handbook
· Weekly meetings between student teachers and chair
· Help student teachers with resumes
· Observe and write up observation reports for student teachers; give constructive criticism
· Encourage student teachers to attend department meetings, board meetings, etc.
· Facilitate observations of other department teachers (and observation of teachers from other disciplines)
· As chairs, we introduce and include student teacher in department activities
· Perform exit interviews with student teachers to talk about their experiences during the student teaching period
· Cooperating teachers need to be honest with student teachers regarding strengths and weaknesses; chairs provide cooperating teachers with “training” about how to communicate this information to student teachers à “difficult conversations”
· Establish a “common vocabulary” re: observations (i.e., use NCFLRC document to help observe candidates); a list of questions that would help cooperating teachers assess student teachers